Bouquets to Art Part II: Our Favorites

Here are our favorites at the Bouquets to Art 2009 show.

We found this pairing of painting and flowers in a quiet corner of the exhibit. This floral design brilliantly picked up the style and color of the maid's apron in the basket. With judicious restraint, the artist carefully selected just a few blossoms to represent the color of the maid's salmon shawl, and the items in her basket. Creating a simple work of art can be as difficult as or even more so than a large piece. Maybe the more personal scale that would fit into anyone's home touches us more deeply. It invites us to get up close and really observe every element the artist considered.

Neil Hunt of Hunt Littlefield took a whimsical approach to his art and cut out a door in the same shape and size as the goose in the painting that inspired his artwork. The white phaelanopsis orchids cascading downward represent the goose. Brilliant interpretation and one of the most creative in the entire show!

Phyllis Brady of Twig & Ivy took a big chance. This floral work of art on a dressmaker's form uses muted colors and is very subtle. In a roomful of arrangements that screamed "Look at me!", you would have to seek this one out. But if you did, you were in for a treat. 

In addition to bringing in the same colors as in the painting which inspired her, the texture and composition of the flowers perfectly represents the impressionist's way of using points of light and color to create a harmonious whole. It was not so obvious up close, but when you stood back, you could see you were in the presence of a brilliant piece of art.

Karen Baba of Plan Decor created a simple floral art design that 100% perfectly reflected Andy Warhol's style. Warhol was well known for his 1960's pop art style of repeating an image in bright colors. 

Brilliant interpretation, Karen!

Pico Design's Pico Soriano's hands must hurt. He pulled the soft buds off of countless pussy willow branches to create this cute 3-D dog which relates to the boy and dog in the painting. It was different. It was creative. It was charming.

These two colorful creations capture the spirit of the gumball dispensers and the abstract splatter of bright colors, respectively. They succeed by combining a minimum number of flowers with some wrapped wires or white-washed vases to make everything appear to be floating on air.